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Close Call Sports objectively tracks and analyzes close and controversial calls in sport, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game. Developed from The Left Field Corner's MLB Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (UEFL), baseball's number one source for umpire ejections, video instant replay reviews and their corresponding calls, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Umpire Jim Joyce Performs CPR, Saves Woman's Life

Umpire Jim Joyce has reportedly saved a woman's life by performing CPR when the woman, Diamondbacks food service (Levy) employee Jayne Powers, stopped breathing following what staff at the time believed was a seizure, but what turned out to be cardiac arrest.

"Without a doubt, that man right there saved a life."
- FSN Arizona/D'Backs Broadcaster Brad Steinke

The incident occurred approximately 90 minutes before the Marlins-D'Backs contest Monday night when umpires Joyce and his crew (Lance Barrett, Jim Reynolds & James Hoye) were arriving at Chase Field in Arizona. When Joyce saw the employee drop to the ground in the tunnels outside the umpire's dressing room, he ensured her head was protected before noticing her body becoming limp and her breathing slowing and then stopping.

At that point, Joyce knew what he had to do, continuing to administer CPR even after paramedics arrived with a defibrillator, whose first shock failed to revive the patient. After the second round of CPR and a defibrillator shock, Powers began breathing again, all the while Joyce continuing to talk and sing "Staying Alive" in an attempt to revive her.

Joyce, who was the home plate umpire Monday night, said he had learned CPR while in high school: "This is something everybody should know. Everybody should know what to do in a circumstance like that. It's not a hard thing. You don't need a degree. It's very simple, and very easy."

Coming off the intense live-saving experience, his crew presented Joyce with the option of trading his plate game for a night at third base, but Joyce declined: "It was very emotional, I'll be honest with you," he said. "But I didn't want to go to third base because just standing there, literally, [the incident] is all I would have thought about all night. I wouldn't have been able to think about anything else. Going behind the plate, I would have something to do every minute. I could just do my job. But I'll be honest with you, there were still times during the game that I was thinking about it."

*UPDATED* On Tuesday, Joyce and his wife Kay visited Powers at Good Samaritan Hospital in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

"Just knowing [CPR], I think it's imperative," Joyce said. "You may never, ever, have to use it, but it's just that one time that you do." Joyce's daughter is currently in school training to be an EMT while his son, a Beaverton, Oregon baseball coach, is also CPR certified.

Jim Joyce was the UEFL's Umpire of the Year in 2009 and has won multiple UEFL awards over the years.

4:44, making such a comment would require me to say that Jim Joyce wasn't perfect, something that would be like pulling wisdom teeth. I'm pretty much in the tank when it comes to Joyce. Hell I still won't admit he missed the Galarraga call at first. Call me an apologist.

On a serious note, the world would be a much better place if we had more people like Jim Joyce in it. He long ago proved his character and unquestionable integrity. This act is further confirmation that he is just a good and decent human being.

Was it close? Certainly, in fact Galarraga did not help things by shuffling his feet. But was the runner clearly out? YES. If you think otherwise, then you're hitting it too long (it's PUFF-PUFF-PASS not PUFF-PUFF-PUFF!)!